Cloud Computing and Cloud-Native Architecture

Cloud Computing

The delivery of computing services over the internet. These services include: Servers, Storage, Databases, Networking, Software, Analytics.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Provides virtualized hardware resources. Examples: Virtual Machines, Storage, Networking. Services: Azure Virtual Machines, AWS EC2, Google Compute Engine.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Provides a platform for developing and deploying applications. Examples: Operating Systems, Development Tools, Database Management, Middleware. Services: Azure App Service, Google App Engine, AWS Elastic Beanstalk.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Complete software delivered through the internet. Services: Microsoft 365, Gmail, Google Classroom, Salesforce.

Public Cloud

Resources shared among many customers. Examples: Azure, AWS, Google Cloud. Advantages: Lower cost, Easy scalability.

Private Cloud

Dedicated cloud environment for one organization. Examples: Government agencies, Banks. Advantages: Greater control, More security.

Hybrid Cloud

Combination of public and private cloud. Example: Student Record - Private Cloud; Public Website - Public Cloud.

Cloud-Native Application

Application designed specifically to take advantage of cloud environments. Characteristics: Microservices-based, Containerized, Scalable, Resilient, Automated.

Cloud-Native Architecture Components

Front-End Applications (Web Application, Mobile Application); Services (Enrollment Service, Student Service, Payment Service); Cloud Database (stores enterprise data).

Scalability

The ability of a system to handle increased demand.

Vertical Scaling

Add more resources to a server. Example: 4GB RAM → 16 GB RAM.

Horizontal Scaling

Add more servers. Load is distributed across servers.

Elasticity

Ability to automatically add or remove resources as demand changes. Benefits: Cost savings, Efficient resource utilization, Better performance.

High Availability

Ensures systems remain operational even when components fail. If Server A fails, Server B continues processing requests.

Disaster Recovery

Ability to restore operations after failures. Causes: Hardware failure, Human error, Cyberattacks, Natural disasters. Common Strategies: Backup and Restore, Replication.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Controls permissions.

Network Security

Firewalls and security groups.

Cloud Security Measures

Identity and Access Management (IAM); Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA); Encryption; Network Security.

Cloud Monitoring

Organizations need visibility into: CPU usage, Memory usage, Application performance, Network traffic. Benefits: Detect issues quickly, Improve reliability, Support capacity planning.

Cloud Monitoring Tools

Azure Monitor; AWS CloudWatch; Google Cloud Monitoring.

Microsoft Azure

Services include: Virtual Machines, Azure SQL Database, Azure Storage.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Services include: EC2, RDS, S3.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Services include: Compute Engine, Cloud SQL, Cloud Storage.